Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in and the county seat of Morgan County, Alabama. The population of the city is 55,683. Like many southern cities in the early 19th century, Decatur's early success was based upon its location along a river. Railroad routes and boating traffic pushed the city to the front of North Alabama's economic atmosphere. The city rapidly grew into a large economic center within the Tennessee Valley and was a hub for travelers and cargo between Nashville and Mobile, as well as Chattanooga and New Orleans. Throughout the 20th century, the city experienced steady growth, but was eclipsed as the regional economic center by the fast-growing Huntsville during the space race. The city now finds its economy heavily based on manufacturing, mining, cargo transit, chemical, and high-tech companies such as Vulcan Materials, Daikin, Toray, and United Launch Alliance. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is: 62.11% White (34,584) 22.08% Black or African American (12,294) 12.87% Hispanic or Latino (7,166) 2.94% Other (1,639) 19.4% (10,802) of Decatur residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Decatur has average rates of Pokemon theft and murder, and is among the safer major cities in Alabama. The city reported 15 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 1.51 murders a year. Pokemon Located along the Tennessee River, sometimes, wild Water-types come up out of the water and wander in Decatur. Fun facts * New Decatur, Alabama was a city that rose out of the ashes of former Decatur west of the railroad tracks. New Decatur was founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1889. However, residents of the older Decatur resented the new town, founded and occupied by people who moved down from northern states. Animosity built until New Decatur renamed their town Albany, after Albany, N.Y., in September 1916. The impetus to meld the two towns came from the need for a bridge, instead of a ferry, across the Tennessee River. The Decatur Kiwanis Club was formed with an equal number of members from each town to organize efforts to get the state to build the bridge. In 1925, the two cities merged to form one City of Decatur. There is a noticeable difference between the two sides of town. The cities developed differently at different times, and still to this day have somewhat different cultures. Eastern portions of Decatur tend to act more suburban and traditional, while western portions tend to look more metropolitan and contemporary. * In the past, Decatur's industries included repair shops of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, car works, engine works, bottling plants, and manufacturers of lumber, sashes and blinds, tannic acid, fertilizers, cigars, flour, cottonseed oil, and various other products. * Decatur is home to Point Mallard Park, which is open all year around, and includes a campground, a water park, an open field, a tennis complex, a baseball and golf practice place, an ice complex, a soccer park, the T.C. Almond Recreation Center, a golf course, some trails, and some swimming opportunities. * Because of its location on the Tennessee River at the strategically important crossing of two major railroads, Decatur was the site of several encounters during the American Civil War. When the Union army occupied the city early in the war, the commanding general ordered all but four buildings in the town destroyed. Bricks from some of the churches in town were used to build stoves and chimneys for the buildings that housed soldiers. The four buildings that remained (and are still standing) are the Old State Bank, the Dancy-Polk House, the Todd House, and the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. After the Union victory in the Battle of Atlanta, a Confederate army under the command of Gen. John Bell Hood briefly sparred with a vastly outmanned garrison during the 1864 Battle of Decatur, when Decatur was referred to as A Tough Nut To Crack. ** While the city was under Confederate control, plans for the Battle of Shiloh were mapped out within the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. These activities make the house one of the most historic buildings in Decatur. * Decatur has no shortage of amenities to offer. It has a satellite campus of the Northeast Alabama Battle Academy, along with a mixed complex of contest halls and showcase theaters, Decatur Mall, a lot of fast food and some chain restaurants, no shortage of local restaurants and businesses, plenty of hotels, dollar stores, five sports complexes, plenty of public battle fields, Pryor Field Regional Airport, Lowe's, Publix, Walmart, Nintendo World, Home Depot, some auto parts places and car dealerships, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Target, Kroger, Solstice Apparel, and plenty more. * Large portions of Decatur were incinerated on April 3rd, 2007 by a violent EF5 tornado that touched down and developed very rapidly to the south and west of the city. The same tornado would go on to incinerate Mooresville, and devastate portions of Madison and Huntsville. Along its entire path, the tornado would kill 276 and injure over 3,000. It remains to this day the costliest and most powerful tornado in Alabama's history. * The Alabama Jubilee, begun in 1978, is the oldest hot air balloon race south of the Kentucky Derby's Great Balloon Race (from 1973). With visiting populations rising into 100,000, people crowd around more than 60 seven-story-tall balloons as they inflate. Because of the Alabama Jubilee, Decatur has been named "The Ballooning Capital of Alabama" by the Alabama State Legislature. * The Spirit of America Festival is one of the largest free 4 July festivals in the south. More than 65,000 people arrive in Decatur to watch annual celebrations and the Miss Spirit of America beauty pageant. The contest was known as "Miss Point Mallard" from 1976 through 2013. It moved to the Princess Theatre in 2014.) * Another large event in Decatur and North Alabama, the Racking Horse World Celebration attracts horses from around the world to compete in the largest Racking Horse competition. Held in the Celebration Arena near Priceville, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year. * The first black woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison, was born in Decatur. Category:Alabama Cities